Systems and methods for coupling information handling resource disposed in information handling system bezel

ABSTRACT

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a bezel configured to mechanically couple to a housing for housing components of an information handling system may include one or more mechanical features for mechanically coupling the bezel to the housing, an information handling resource mechanically coupled to a mechanical structure of the bezel, and a bezel connector having a plurality of pins communicatively coupled to the information handling resource. The bezel connector may be configured to communicatively couple the information handling resource to a second information handling resource of the information handling system housed within the housing when the bezel is mechanically coupled to the housing.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates in general to information handlingsystems, and more particularly to systems and methods for coupling aninformation handling resource, such as a communications module, to aninformation handling system, in which the information handling resourceis disposed in an information handling system bezel.

BACKGROUND

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individualsand businesses seek additional ways to process and store information.One option available to users is information handling systems. Aninformation handling system generally processes, compiles, stores,and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or otherpurposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of theinformation. Because technology and information handling needs andrequirements vary between different users or applications, informationhandling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled,how the information is handled, how much information is processed,stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the informationmay be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in informationhandling systems allow for information handling systems to be general orconfigured for a specific user or specific use such as financialtransaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage,or global communications. In addition, information handling systems mayinclude a variety of hardware and software components that may beconfigured to process, store, and communicate information and mayinclude one or more computer systems, data storage systems, andnetworking systems.

In many typical server designs, a front portion of a server chassisoften includes numerous hard disk drive bays for housing numerousmodular hard disks. The information handling system industry is trendingtowards reducing the number of input/output (I/O) ports and controlpanel display surfaces on front panels of servers in order to allow morespace for hard disk drive bays. In addition, recent advances allowingfor wireless access to system management require a mechanical design ofa server to provide space for a wireless interface and an associatedantenna. However, for security reasons, many users may not desire awireless interface to be present on a server.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, thedisadvantages and problems associated with provision of wirelesscommunication access to an information handling system may be reduced oreliminated.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a bezelconfigured to mechanically couple to a housing for housing components ofan information handling system may include one or more mechanicalfeatures for mechanically coupling the bezel to the housing, aninformation handling resource mechanically coupled to a mechanicalstructure of the bezel, and a bezel connector having a plurality of pinscommunicatively coupled to the information handling resource. The bezelconnector may be configured to communicatively couple the informationhandling resource to a second information handling resource of theinformation handling system housed within the housing when the bezel ismechanically coupled to the housing.

In accordance with these and other embodiments of the presentdisclosure, an information handling system comprising may include one ormore information handling resources and a housing configured to housethe one or more information handling resources. The housing may compriseone or more mechanical features for mechanically coupling a bezel to thehousing and a housing connector mechanically mounted on the housing andcommunicatively coupled to at least one of the one or more informationhandling resources and configured to engage with a correspondingconnector of the bezel in order to communicatively couple a secondinformation handling resource mechanically coupled to the bezel to theat least one of the one or more information handling resources.

Technical advantages of the present disclosure may be readily apparentto one skilled in the art from the figures, description and claimsincluded herein. The objects and advantages of the embodiments will berealized and achieved at least by the elements, features, andcombinations particularly pointed out in the claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are examples and explanatory and arenot restrictive of the claims set forth in this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present embodiments and advantagesthereof may be acquired by referring to the following description takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencenumbers indicate like features, and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of selected components of an exampleinformation handling system, in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of selected components of theexample information handling system of FIG. 1, in accordance withembodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate elevation views of opposite sides of a bezel,in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates detail of the view of FIG. 3B with a cover of awireless communication module removed, in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates detail of a bezel engaging with an ear, in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 6 illustrates detail of a cable coupling to a motherboard, inaccordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Preferred embodiments and their advantages are best understood byreference to FIGS. 1-6, wherein like numbers are used to indicate likeand corresponding parts.

For the purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system mayinclude any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operableto compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate,switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, orutilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business,scientific, control, entertainment, or other purposes. For example, aninformation handling system may be a personal computer, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a consumer electronic device, a network storagedevice, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape,performance, functionality, and price. The information handling systemmay include memory, one or more processing resources such as a centralprocessing unit (“CPU”), microcontroller, or hardware or softwarecontrol logic. Additional components of the information handling systemmay include one or more storage devices, one or more communicationsports for communicating with external devices as well as variousinput/output (“I/O”) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a videodisplay. The information handling system may also include one or morebuses operable to transmit communication between the various hardwarecomponents.

For the purposes of this disclosure, computer-readable media may includeany instrumentality or aggregation of instrumentalities that may retaindata and/or instructions for a period of time. Computer-readable mediamay include, without limitation, storage media such as a direct accessstorage device (e.g., a hard disk drive or floppy disk), a sequentialaccess storage device (e.g., a tape disk drive), compact disk, CD-ROM,DVD, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electricallyerasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and/or flash memory; aswell as communications media such as wires, optical fibers, microwaves,radio waves, and other electromagnetic and/or optical carriers; and/orany combination of the foregoing.

For the purposes of this disclosure, information handling resources maybroadly refer to any component system, device or apparatus of aninformation handling system, including without limitation processors,service processors, basic input/output systems (BIOSs), buses, memories,I/O devices and/or interfaces, storage resources, network interfaces,motherboards, and/or any other components and/or elements of aninformation handling system.

For the purposes of this disclosure, circuit boards may broadly refer toprinted circuit boards (PCBs), printed wiring boards (PWBs), printedwiring assemblies (PWAs) etched wiring boards, and/or any other board orsimilar physical structure operable to mechanically support andelectrically couple electronic components (e.g., packaged integratedcircuits, slot connectors, etc.). A circuit board may comprise asubstrate of a plurality of conductive layers separated and supported bylayers of insulating material laminated together, with conductive tracesdisposed on and/or in any of such conductive layers, with vias forcoupling conductive traces of different layers together, and with padsfor coupling electronic components (e.g., packaged integrated circuits,slot connectors, etc.) to conductive traces of the circuit board.

The terms “wireless transmissions” and “wireless communication” may beused to refer to all types of electromagnetic communications which donot require a wire, cable, or other types of conduits. Examples ofwireless transmissions which may be used include, but are not limitedto, short-range wireless communication technologies (e.g., proximitycard, Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), Near Field Communication(NFC), BLUETOOTH, ISO 14443, ISO 15693, or other suitable standard),personal area networks (PAN) (e.g., BLUETOOTH), local area networks(LAN), wide area networks (WAN), narrowband personal communicationsservices (PCS), broadband PCS, circuit switched cellular, cellulardigital packet data (CDPD), radio frequencies, such as the 800 MHz, 900MHz, 1.9 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands, infra-red and laser.

For the purpose of this disclosure, “short-range wireless communicationstechnology” refers to any suitable communications transport, protocol,and/or standard allowing two or more suitably-configured devices tocommunicate via wireless transmissions provided that such devices arewithin approximately one meter of each other. Examples of short-rangecommunications technologies include, without limitation, BLUETOOTH Class3, near field communication (NFC), radio frequency identification(RFID), proximity card, vicinity card, ISO 14443, and ISO 15693.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an example of an informationhandling system 102. In some embodiments, information handling system102 may comprise a server. In other embodiments, information handlingsystem 102 may comprise networking equipment for facilitatingcommunication over a communication network. In yet other embodiments,information handling system 102 may comprise a personal computer, suchas a laptop, notebook, or desktop computer. In yet other embodiments,information handling system 102 may be a mobile device sized and shapedto be readily transported and carried on a person of a user ofinformation handling system 102 (e.g., a smart phone, a tablet computingdevice, a handheld computing device, a personal digital assistant,etc.).

As shown in FIG. 1, information handling system 102 may include amotherboard 101, one or more storage resources 106, and a wirelesscommunication module 108. Motherboard 101 may include a circuit boardconfigured to provide structural support for one or more informationhandling resources of information handling system 102 and/orelectrically couple one or more of such information handling resourcesto each other and/or to other electric or electronic components externalto information handling system 102. As shown in FIG. 1, motherboard 101may include a processor 103 and an access controller 112 communicativelycoupled to processor 103.

Processor 103 may include any system, device, or apparatus configured tointerpret and/or execute program instructions and/or process data, andmay include, without limitation a microprocessor, microcontroller,digital signal processor (DSP), application specific integrated circuit(ASIC), or any other digital or analog circuitry configured to interpretand/or execute program instructions and/or process data. In someembodiments, processor 103 may interpret and/or execute programinstructions and/or process data stored in a storage resource 106,memory and/or another component of information handling system 102.

An access controller 112 may be communicatively coupled to processor 103and may comprise any system, device, or apparatus configured tofacilitate management and/or control of components of informationhandling system 102, information handling systems modularly coupledwithin, and/or one or more of its component information handlingresources. Access controller 112 may be configured to issue commandsand/or other signals to manage and/or control information handlingresources of information handling system 102. Access controller 112 maycomprise a microprocessor, microcontroller, DSP, ASIC, fieldprogrammable gate array (“FPGA”), EEPROM, or any combination thereof.

In addition or alternatively, access controller 112 may also provide amanagement console for user/administrator access to these functions. Forexample, access controller 112 may provide for communication with a userinterface, permitting a user to interact with access controller 112 andconfigure control and management of components of information handlingsystem 102 by access controller 112. As another example, accesscontroller 112 may act as a proxy and establish communication betweentwo information handling resources by either configuring them todirectly couple to each other or transfer information by receivinginformation from one information handling resource, processing theinformation if needed, and then transferring the information to theother information handling resource. As a further example, accesscontroller 112 may implement Web Services Management (“WS-MAN”) oranother suitable management protocol permitting a user to remotelyaccess an access controller 112 to configure information handling system102 and its various information handling resources. In such embodiments,access controller 112 may interface with a network interface separatefrom a traditional network interface of information handling system 102,thus allowing for “out-of-band” control of information handling system102, such that communications to and from access controller 112 arecommunicated via a management channel physically isolated from an “inband” communication channel with the traditional network interface.Thus, for example, if a failure occurs in information handling system102 that prevents an administrator from interfacing with informationhandling system 102 via a traditional network interface and/or userinterface (e.g., operating system failure, power failure, etc.), theadministrator may still be able to monitor and/or manage informationhandling system 102 (e.g., to diagnose problems that may have causedfailure) via access controller 112. In the same or alternativeembodiments, access controller 112 may allow an administrator toremotely manage one or more parameters associated with operation ofinformation handling system 102 and its various information handlingresources (e.g., power usage, processor allocation, memory allocation,security privileges, etc.). In certain embodiments, access controller112 may include or may be an integral part of a chassis managementcontroller (CMC), a baseboard management controller (BMC), Dell RemoteAccess Controller (DRAC) or an Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller(iDRAC).

Storage resources 106 may be communicatively coupled to processor 103,and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to retainprogram instructions and/or data for a period of time (e.g.,computer-readable media). Storage resources 112 may include hard diskdrives, magnetic tape libraries, optical disk drives, magneto-opticaldisk drives, compact disk drives, compact disk arrays, disk arraycontrollers, and/or any other system, apparatus or device operable tostore media.

Wireless communication module 108 may be communicatively coupled toaccess controller 112 and may comprise any suitable system, apparatus,or device operable to serve as an interface between access controller112 and another information handling system and/or a network. As shownin FIG. 1, wireless communication module 108 may comprise a wirelessinterface 109 communicatively coupled to access controller 112 and anantenna 110. Wireless interface 109 may enable information handlingsystem 102 to communicate using any suitable transmission protocoland/or standard. In some embodiments, wireless interface 109 may beconfigured to communicate with another information handling system(e.g., a tablet, notebook, hand-held computer, mobile telephony device,etc.) via wireless transmissions, thus allowing a user of such otherinformation handling system to perform management operations on accesscontroller 112 via such other information handling system and wirelessinterface 109. In particular embodiments, wireless interface 109 may beconfigured to communicate with another information handling system via ashort-range wireless communications technology. In these and otherembodiments, wireless interface 109 may comprise a network interfacecard, or “NIC.”

Antenna 110 may be communicatively coupled to wireless interface 109,and may comprise any system, device, or apparatus configured to convertelectric power into radio waves, and vice versa.

In addition to motherboard 101, processor 103, storage resources 106,access controller 112, and wireless communication module 108, wirelessinterface 109, and antenna 110, information handling system 102 mayinclude one or more other information handling resources.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of selected components ofinformation handling system 102, in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, information handling system 102may comprise a housing 202 to house components of information handlingsystem 102. In some embodiments, housing 202 may include a chassis orother enclosure including one or more mechanical features for supportingthe various components of information handling system 102. In otherembodiments, housing 202 may comprise a drawer or tray configured to beinserted into or removed from a server rack for housing multipleinformation handling systems.

As shown in FIG. 2, housing 202 may include ears 204 and a bezel 206.Bezel 206 may comprise any suitable mechanical structure for covering afront portion of information handling system 102. For example, bezel 206may cover storage resources 106 for purposes of security and/oraesthetics. As described in greater detail below, bezel 206 may bereadily detachable from the remainder of chassis 202 via ears 204. Bezel206 may also include one or more mechanical features for housingwireless communication module 108.

An ear 204 may include one or more mechanical features for mechanicallycoupling bezel 206 to the remainder of housing 202 via correspondingmechanical features of bezel 206. In addition, as described in greaterdetail below, at least one ear 204 and bezel 206 may includecorresponding electrically-conductive components permitting wirelesscommunication module 108 to draw power, provide alerts, and/orcommunicatively couple to access controller 112 when bezel 206 isengaged with ears 204. In embodiments in which housing 202 comprises adrawer or sled, ears 204 may comprise mechanical components to allow auser to slide housing 202 into or out of a rack.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate elevation views of opposite sides of bezel206, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3Adepicts a front of bezel 206 (e.g., the side facing to the exterior ofhousing 202 when bezel 206 is engaged with ears 204) while FIG. 3Bdepicts a rear of bezel 206 (e.g., the side facing to the interior ofhousing 202 when bezel 206 is engaged with ears 204). As shown in FIGS.3A and 3B, bezel 206 may comprise a lock 302 which may allow a user tomechanically manipulate lock 302 (e.g., with a key) to engage bezel 206with one of ears 204 to secure bezel 206 in place. Further, as shown inFIG. 3B, wireless communication module 108 may include a cover 304 forcovering components (e.g., wireless interface 109, antenna 110) ofwireless communication module 108, and such cover 304 may bemechanically coupled to bezel 206 via one or more structural features306 (e.g., guides, posts, screws, snaps, fasteners, etc.), thussupporting components of wireless communication module 108 within bezel206. By including wireless communication module 108 within bezel 206 mayallow for ease of access, as wireless communication module 108 may beaccessed by an another information handling system external toinformation handling system 102 without removing bezel 206. Accordingly,this may provide access to wireless communication module 108 without theneed of removing bezel 206, as might be the case if wirelesscommunication module were internal to information handling system 102,and which might compromise security of information handling system 102.

In embodiments in which wireless communication capability is notdesired, wireless communication module 108 may not be present in bezel206, and such a bezel 206 without a wireless communication module 108may be engaged with ears 204 (and, if desired, locked into place withlock 302 for security purposes).

FIG. 4 illustrates detail of the view of FIG. 3B with cover 304 ofwireless communication module 108 removed for purposes of clarity andexposition, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Asshown in FIG. 4, wireless interface 109 and antenna 110 may reside inbezel 206. Wireless interface 109 may comprise a connector 402configured to electrically and mechanically couple a flexible circuitboard 404 having a plurality of conductive traces to wireless interface109. In some embodiments, a cable or harness of electrically-conductivewires may be used in lieu of flexible circuit board 404. The conductivetraces of flexible circuit board 404 (or the wires of a cable or harnessused in lieu thereof) may terminate into a connector 406 at an edge ofbezel 206. In some embodiments, connector 406 may comprise a pluralityof electrically conductive, spring-loaded pins 408 electrically coupledto conductive traces of flexible circuit board 404 (or the wires of acable or harness used in lieu thereof).

FIG. 5 illustrates detail of bezel 206 engaging with an ear 204, inaccordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG.5, engagement of bezel 206 to the remainder of housing 202 may beginwith a user “toeing in” mechanical features 512 and 514 of a first endof bezel 206 with corresponding mechanical features 516 and 518 of anear 204. Such mechanical features may provide mechanical guiding,assisting the user in electrically coupling spring-loaded pins 408 ofconnector 406 to corresponding contacts 504 of a connector 502 integralto ear 204. Contacts 504 may be configured such that they preventshorting of pins during insertion, removal, or other movement of bezel206. For example, contacts 504 may be formed such that power and/orground pins disconnect before any pin 408 can short to a contact 504 notintended for such pin 408.

Mechanical feature 512 may include or may support connector 408.Likewise, mechanical feature 516 may include or may support connector502. However, in embodiments in which a bezel does not include wirelessinterface 109 or other information handling resource, mechanical feature512 may be absent of a connector such as connector 406.

Contacts 504 of connector 502 may be electrically coupled to conductivetraces of a flexible circuit board 506 (or the wires of a cable orharness used in lieu thereof) which in turn may terminate into a cable508 configured to electrically couple to conductive traces of a flexiblecircuit board 506 (or the wires of a cable or harness used in lieuthereof) to a cable 508 (or wiring harness) of electrically conductivewires. After the first end of bezel 206 is engaged with a first ear 204,engagement of bezel 206 to the remainder of housing 202 may be completedby engagement of bezel 206 to a second ear 204.

FIG. 6 illustrates detail of cable 508 coupling to motherboard 101, inaccordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG.6, wires of cable 508 may terminate into a connector 602 havingelectrically-conductive pins for coupling to corresponding wires ofcable 508. Such electrically-conductive pins may in turn be electricallycoupled to conductive traces of motherboard 101 which are coupled toaccess controller 112, thus providing for an electrical communicationpathway between access controller 112 and wireless interface 109.

Although the foregoing discussion contemplates the communicativecoupling of wireless communication module 108 housed in bezel 206 to anaccess controller 112, systems and methods similar or identical to thosedescribed herein may be utilized for communicatively coupling anysuitable information handling resource mechanically mounted within abezel to one or more other information handling resources within aninformation handling system.

As used herein, when two or more elements are referred to as “coupled”to one another, such term indicates that such two or more elements arein electronic communication or mechanical communication, as applicable,whether connected indirectly or directly, with or without interveningelements.

This disclosure encompasses all changes, substitutions, variations,alterations, and modifications to the example embodiments herein that aperson having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend. Similarly,where appropriate, the appended claims encompass all changes,substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications to the exampleembodiments herein that a person having ordinary skill in the art wouldcomprehend. Moreover, reference in the appended claims to an apparatusor system or a component of an apparatus or system being adapted to,arranged to, capable of, configured to, enabled to, operable to, oroperative to perform a particular function encompasses that apparatus,system, or component, whether or not it or that particular function isactivated, turned on, or unlocked, as long as that apparatus, system, orcomponent is so adapted, arranged, capable, configured, enabled,operable, or operative.

All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended forpedagogical objects to aid the reader in understanding the disclosureand the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, andare construed as being without limitation to such specifically recitedexamples and conditions. Although embodiments of the present disclosurehave been described in detail, it should be understood that variouschanges, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A bezel configured to mechanically couple to ahousing for housing components of an information handling system, thebezel comprising: one or more mechanical features for mechanicallycoupling the bezel to the housing and configured to mechanically coupleto an ear of the housing; an information handling resource mechanicallycoupled to a mechanical structure of the bezel; and a bezel connectorhaving a plurality of pins communicatively coupled to the informationhandling resource, the bezel connector configured to communicativelycouple the information handling resource to a second informationhandling resource of the information handling system housed within thehousing when the bezel is mechanically coupled to the housing, andconfigured to couple to a corresponding connector within the ear.
 2. Thebezel of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of conductive elementscoupled between the information handling resource and the bezelconnector.
 3. The bezel of claim 2, wherein the plurality of conductiveelements comprise conductive traces of a flexible circuit board coupledbetween the information handling resource and the bezel connector. 4.The bezel of claim 2, wherein the plurality of conductive elementscomprise wires of a cable coupled between the information handlingresource and the bezel connector.
 5. The bezel of claim 1, wherein thepins comprise spring-loaded pins, each spring-loaded pin configured toelectrically couple to a corresponding contact of a second connectormechanically coupled to the housing, wherein the contacts are eachcommunicatively coupled to the second information handling resource. 6.The bezel of claim 1, wherein the information handling resourcecomprises a wireless communication module.
 7. The bezel of claim 6,wherein the wireless communication module comprises a wireless networkinterface and an antenna.
 8. The bezel of claim 7, wherein the wirelessnetwork interface and the antenna are integral to a circuit board.
 9. Aninformation handling system, comprising: one or more informationhandling resources; and a housing configured to house the one or moreinformation handling resources, the housing comprising: one or moremechanical features formed in an ear of the housing for mechanicallycoupling a bezel to the housing; and a housing connector mechanicallymounted to the ear and communicatively coupled to at least one of theone or more information handling resources and configured to engage witha corresponding connector of the bezel in order to communicativelycouple a second information handling resource mechanically coupled tothe bezel to the at least one of the one or more information handlingresources.
 10. The information handling system of claim 9, furthercomprising a plurality of conductive elements electrically coupling thehousing connector to the at least one of the one or more informationhandling resources.
 11. The information handling system of claim 10,wherein the plurality of conductive elements comprise conductive tracesof a flexible circuit board coupled between the information handlingresource and the bezel connector.
 12. The information handling system ofclaim 10, wherein the plurality of conductive elements comprise wires ofa cable coupled between the information handling resource and the bezelconnector.
 13. The information handling system of claim 9, wherein thehousing connector comprises a plurality of contacts, each contactconfigured to electrically couple to a corresponding pin of a bezelconnector electrically coupled to the second information handlingresource.
 14. The information handling system of claim 9, the at leastone information handling resource comprising an access controller andthe second information handling resource comprising a wirelesscommunication module.
 15. A method comprising: mechanically coupling abezel to an ear of housing for housing components of an informationhandling system, the ear comprising one or more mechanical featuresformed for mechanically coupling the bezel to the housing; and duringmechanical coupling of the bezel to the housing, communicativelycoupling a first information handling resource mechanically mountedwithin the bezel to a second information handling resource internal tothe housing.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first informationhandling resource comprises a wireless communication module.
 17. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the second information handling resourcecomprises an access controller.